By Tony McVeigh, Kentucky Public RadioThe Kentucky House is poised to vote today on a 367-page biennial state budget bill approved Tuesday night in committee. The $17.5 billion spending plan cleared the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on a 19-5 vote. The only Democrat voting no was Louisville Rep. Jim Wayne. He’s concerned about the two-point-two billion dollars in total bonded indebtedness in the budget. “The news this evening that we have a historically high debt at 7.43% ratio is just appalling in this time. And so I don’t think it’s a responsible thing to vote for this, so I vote no," Wayne said.But House budget chairman Rick Rand says bond rates are low and it’s a good time to borrow. And he’s confident the bond rating agencies will be pleased to see the budget includes a $21 million surplus in the second year.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
